Anthurium Clavigerum Houseplant Care Guide & Tips

Last Updated on May 2, 2022 by Admin

The Anthurium Clavigerum is also known as the Giant Split Leaf Anthurium. This is because of how its large green leaves have very distinctly splits on the edged.

It is also worth noting that the plant goes by many other names including Anthurium pseudoclavigerum. Additionally, you’ll see it labeled as any of these names:

Anthurium kalbreyeri
Anthurium obovatum
Anthurium monsterioides
Anthurium repandum
Anthurium holtonianum
Anthurium wendlandii
Anthurium burchellianum
Anthurium clavigerum var. subpedatipartitum
Anthurium holtonianum var. cohaerens
Anthurium panduratum var. burchellianum

However, these plants are more of varieties that come from the Anthurium Clavigerum or closely related to it as opposed to actually being the same plant.

As such, if you see them, you’ll likely notice similarities in their form and appearance. But if you closely inspect their leaves, you’ll easily notice that they are different from one another.

That said, the Anthurium Clavigerum is one of the largest Anthurium varieties. It can grow up to 6 feet high and wide indoors.

It is native to the tropical jungles of South America including Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica and Bolivia. There it lives as an epiphyte climbing up trees to try and get as much sunlight as it can.

The plant is best known for its large lobed leaves. In the wild these can grow to 6 feet wide. fortunately, it is much more manageable indoors in a container. Although, the plant can still get quite sizable.

Table of Contents

Anthurium Clavigerum Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Anthurium Clavigerum grows best in bright, indirect light when grown indoors. Because of its size and spread, some people prefer keeping outdoors in the patio or garden. There, place it in partial shade.

These lighting conditions will allow the plant to grow the fastest, produce more leaves and maintain its best colors.

That said, it can tolerate moderate and some low light as well indoors.

I do know some growers who intentionally keep the plant indoors in low light to slow its growth so that it won’t get too big or grow too quickly. That way, they don’t have to keep pruning or repotting the plant.

If you do decide to go with this strategy, it is a good idea to do some experimenting. The is important because you want to find that balance where it still gets enough light to stay healthy, albeit grow slower.

But avoid leaving it in too low light that the plant becomes leggy and starts to get weaker.

Similarly, avoid leaving the plant under direct sunlight. It cannot tolerate this.

Too much sun or very high intensity, including that during mid-day and summertime, will burn its leaves.

Temperature

As far as temperature goes, the Anthurium Clavigerum enjoys conditions between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it easy to grow indoors since most homes have temperatures around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

That said, be careful of placing it near air conditioners, heaters, radiators or stoves. All of these appliances can produce heat or cold very quickly which negatively affects the plant.

Similarly, avoid placing it anywhere with cold drafts. This includes open windows, doors or entryways.

Outdoors, the plant is best suited for USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 11. It enjoys perpetual sunshine and warm weather. Thus, it will grow happily there.

However, the plant is not well-suited for the cold.

This means that if you live below Zone 10, it is best to do so during the warmer months. Once the temperature drops under 55 degrees, bring your Anthurium Clavigerum indoors to keep it cozy.

It won’t be able to survive the winter outdoors.

Humidity

Humidity is another thing worth considering when growing your Anthurium Clavigerum. That’s because it has an ideal humidity of 70% to 80%. It can tolerate levels down to 50% though.

It is good to be aware of this because if humidity stays too far below 50% for long periods of time, you’ll soon see the leaves of your plant turn brown and crispy on its tips and margins.

If the humidity issue is not remedies, the leaves will soon turn brown. And more foliage will change color as well.

As such, I like to keep a hygrometer near my more humidity sensitive plants. This lets me easily monitor the humidity levels at any given time.

Whenever I see humidity go below what a specific plant needs I immediately give it some help.

The simplest way to increase humidity is to mist the plant with water. You’ll need to repeat this every few days depending on how far down the humidity in the room is.

Also, make sure to avoid getting the leaves too wet. This can cause fungal infections to occur.

Other options to misting include:

Using a humidifier
Placing the plant on a humidifier tray
Grouping it with other plants
Moving the plant to the bathroom

How Often to Water Anthurium Clavigerum

The Anthurium Clavigerum enjoys consistently moist soil. However, be careful not to water too often as it is susceptible to overwatering.

Overwatering is the number cause of houseplant death because it can lead to root rot. And many plant owners think that giving their plants lots of water is good for them.

Unfortunately, while this is true, too much water can cause their demise as well.

As such, the best way to water your Anthurium Clavigerum is to wait until the top 2-3 inches of soil has dried out before adding more water.

This will prevent you from watering too frequently, which can lead to wet, soggy soil.

It is also a good idea to water the plant thoroughly. This means saturating the entire root ball which will allow the roots to get all the water they want.

Once water starts dripping from the holes at the bottom of the pot, stop pouring. Then allow the excess moisture to drain completely.

This final step lets water quickly drain so the soil does not stay wet. In doing so, you’re able to avoid overwatering or waterlogging (both of which lead to root rot).

This can take about 10 to 25 minutes but it is very important not to skip it.

Related

Anthurium Clavigerum Potting Soil

In addition to knowing when to water and how to water the Anthurium Clavigerum, using the right kind of soil is essential as well.

This plant needs moist, well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. This combination ensures that the roots are able to get the hydration they need. But at the same time, it drains the excess moisture so there is no waterlogging.

Rich soil gives the plant nutrients to grow faster. And to help your Anthurium Clavigerum absorb these nutrients efficiently, keep soil pH between 6.1 to 6.5.

Going too high or too low on soil pH will cause excesses in some minerals and deficiencies in other minerals.

Fortunately, it is easy to achieve this kind of soil. And there are a few ways you can do it.

The most straightforward is to go to your nursery or online store and look for an Aroid mix. This soil is designed to fit the needs of Anthuriums and other aroids. It is chunky and well-draining.

If you prefer to make your own potting mix at home, you can use this recipe:

Orchid mix
Peat moss
Perlite

Fertilizer

Like most houseplants, fertilizer will benefit your Anthurium Clavigerum. You can go without feeding the plant although it will not grow as big or as fast. You’ll also see fewer leaves and smaller ones at that.

Alternatively, you can reduce or go without fertilizer if you add compost or worm castings as top dressing.

In most cases, home growers will just go with fertilizer because it is easier to do. All you need to do is follow the instructions on the label.

The important thing with the Anthurium Clavigerum is to just feed it what it needs. Avoid over fertilizing the plant.

If you have tropical weather you can feed the plant all year round as it will keep growing due to the continuous sunshine and warm weather.

However, if you experience four seasons in your area, only feed the plant during spring and summer which is its growing season. Stop by early to mid fall and don’t feed it during winter.

Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength once a month. You don’t need to use a high phosphorus blend since the plant’s flower is not significant unlike many other Anthurium varieties.

Pruning

The Anthurium Clavigerum is one of the bigger Anthurium houseplants. It will grow to between 3 to 6 feet high with long stems and large leaves that spread outwards covering a spread of up to 6 feet wide.

This is what makes the plant beautiful.

However, is can also make it a problem as space goes indoors. The more stems and leaves the plant grows, the more space around it will take up.

In the wild, it does grow bigger. As such, you decide to plant it in the ground in your garden, make such to give it enough space.

Thus, depending on how much room you have and how big you want to keep the plant, you will likely need to prune it regularly.

How to Propagate Anthurium Clavigerum

There are many ways to propagate the Anthurium Clavigerum. These include:

Stem cuttings
Division
From plantlets
From seed

Of those mentioned, stem cuttings and division are the most reliable at least for the home grower.

That’s because they are easy and straightforward to do. And they’ll give you quick results. Also you have a lot of control over the entire process.

The simplest method of all is taking the plantlets from the parent and planting them separately. These plantlets will grow into individual plants just like their parents.

However, the downside to this method is you are at the mercy of nature.

That’s because it decides when it will produce plantlets. As such, you cannot propagate when you want. Instead, the plant dictates this.

Finally, there is seed propagation.

For commercial operations, this is the method they use most. That’s because it allows them to grow many plants at the same time without affecting the parent plant.

But for home growers, growing from seed takes much longer than any of the other methods. It also takes up a lot of time and effort because you have to monitor the seeds, allow them to germinate then care for the seedling before the plant gets bigger.

As such, for most home growers, stem cuttings is the simplest way to go. You can root the cutting in soil or water.

If the plant is getting too big for your liking, you can divide it. This way, you propagate it while reducing its size in the process.

How to Repot or Transplant Anthurium Clavigerum

Since this is one of the largest Anthurium varieties, be ready to see it grow into a large pot one of these days. That said, you have a few options when it comes to repotting.

The Anthurium Clavigerum needs to be repot once very 2-3 years. Once it gets root bound, you can wait a while because it likes being snug in its pot.

But don’t let it stay to the point where the roots are overcrowded.

When repotting, choose a container that is 2 inches wider than the current pot. Also, replenish with fresh potting soil to help the plant grow faster.

In case you’ve gotten to the point where you’re happy with the plant’s size and don’t want it to get any bigger, you can prune its roots.

Doing so will keep the plant from growing too big. It will also let you keep it in the same pot for many years to come.

Finally, you can divide the plant. This lets you propagate the plant. In doing so, you’ll end up having 2 smaller plants from the bigger parent.

The best time to repot your Anthurium Clavigerum is during spring or early summer. Although you can do it any time as long as the weather is not too cold or too hot. Doing that would add stress to what it is already experiencing from the repotting process.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

Unfortunately, the plant is toxic to people and pets. It contains calcium oxalate crystals which are released once ingested.

Therefore, the plant is safe to touch. But once you break sap, you want to be careful. The sap is where the toxicity comes from.

So, in addition to not consuming parts of the plant, try not to get the sap into your eyes, nose or mouth. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to wear gloves when pruning and propagating the plant.

Anthurium Clavigerum Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

Pests are not a huge concern for the Anthurium Clavigerum when it is healthy. But if it is stressed, in shock, weak or sick, it because susceptible to them.

The most common pests that will attack this plant are sap sucking insects. These include mealybugs, spider mites, scale, thrips and aphids.

You can use neem oil, insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to treat them once you spot signs of the pest or the damage they do.

The most important thing about pests is to discover them early. Because they populate very quickly, a small pest problem can quickly turn into an infestation.

Diseases

Root rot and leaf diseases are the main things to look out for with this plant.

In both cases, excess moisture is almost always the cause. As such, try to stay on the dry side and allow the soil to dry out a bit between waterings.

Too much water, heavy soils and pots with lack of drainage are the most common causes of root rot. Therefore, you can easily avoid it by being mindful of these.

Similarly, wetting the leaves without allowing them to dry or misting them too much leads to bacterial and fungal infections.